Mamelodi Sundowns defender Thapelo Morena has shed light on how coach Hugo Broos utilized South Africa’s World Cup disappointment to ignite their successful AFCON 2025 qualification campaign.
Bafana Bafana secured their place in the upcoming AFCON tournament with two games to spare and currently sit atop their qualifying group. Their recent victory over Uganda further solidified their position, and they aim to complete the qualification phase undefeated against South Sudan in Cape Town.
Morena revealed that Broos used the controversial 2022 World Cup qualifier against Ghana as a powerful motivator. “Coach Broos spoke about that World Cup qualifier against Ghana, especially the away game,” Morena told iDiski Times. “He reminded us how important it is to finish the job early.
“If we leave it to the last game, things might go wrong. Now, everything is in our hands.”
The defender also emphasized that the team’s third-place finish at the 2023 AFCON served as a catalyst for their current success. Broos, according to Morena, stressed the importance of a game-by-game approach, preventing the team from dwelling on past results.
Morena added that Broos emphasised the importance of focusing on each game as a fresh challenge. “He told us never to carry what happened in previous games into the next one.
“Every match is different, and we have to aim for victory.”
South Africa’s clash with South Sudan at DHL Cape Town Stadium on Tuesday, 19 November 2024 provides Broos with a chance to cap off their qualifiers in style, building momentum for the tournament in Morocco next year.